Media personality, Stephanie Coker-Aderinokun, has said that finding love on dating platforms or social media is not something to be ashamed of. According to her, people who are bold enough to find love online should not be criticised.

Coker-Aderinokun, who is the host of a dating show, ‘Hook Me Up Steph’, said, “I feel that love can be found anywhere and it is possible to find love online. There have been people who got married on a show and they are still together. My dating show had been in the pipeline for six years. I also used to watch a lot of dating shows in the United Kingdom. During the COVID-19 lockdown, I told my husband and friends that I wanted to take the show online and they encouraged me. I did it and the response was good. I loved the fact that I was able to connect people who were looking for love. It’s good to be able to connect Nigerians living in the Diaspora. I agree that some people are sceptical about finding partners online because of fraudsters. But, I have conversations with some of the participants before the show and I do a lot of research to know who is connected to them. Over time, it would be a physical show and there would be lawyers that can help out with legal affairs or documents. So far on the show, I have had three people that have become friends, three others are talking but three couples did not work out.

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“It is funny that Nigerians can be hypocritical. The same people that question why someone is going on a dating show are the same people putting pressure on ladies to get married. When a lady goes on a dating platform, they conclude that she must be so desperate to have settled for love online.”

The mother of one also stated that though she was living her dream life, she had once experienced low moments. She said, “I am living my dream life. This is where I saw myself being at this stage. There are a lot of societal pressure on women but I feel I mapped out what I wanted in life. I wanted to marry and have a child and I got that. I still have other wishes but 2020 has shown me that sometimes, it is not about one’s achievements, but the time that one has on earth. It is about being grateful for life, family and friends.  I am just thankful to wake up every day. Some people think I have no worries but life is not perfect. We all go through issues.

“There is a time I always used my mother’s money. She was the one funding my life when I initially came back to Nigeria. But she suddenly said she was not giving me money anymore. She thought I was wasting her money on a lot of things. I got so broke that I literally could only afford ‘puff puff’. During those times, I learnt how to wash my clothes too. Living in Nigeria is such a great thing for me because it has taught me resilience.”